


Her Pale Knight

by ladyelori



Series: lesbian vampire chronicles [4]
Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Dark, F/F, Femme, Lesbians, Trauma, dark ava, it's basically just ava but horny, poor cece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:13:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24874402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyelori/pseuds/ladyelori
Summary: Dark Ava based on a dark Nate scene off of Mishka's patreon :)
Relationships: Detective/Ava du Mortain, Female Detective/Ava du Mortain
Series: lesbian vampire chronicles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1799875
Comments: 7
Kudos: 50





	1. Her Fall From Grace

There was an eerie silence that settled over the warehouse that evening. Cecilia couldn’t help but find it a bit unnerving.  
Usually, when she was visiting the Agency, a member from Unit Bravo or her mother would always be by her side to enjoy a rare few moments to visit with one another—but there was hardly anyone roaming the halls. She had become accustomed to all sorts of supernaturals flitting around the corridors, never failing to give her a kind smile as they passed—one she was delighted to return.  
She suspected why there was a clear absence of life. The blood bags were to be distributed that afternoon.  
The subject of feeding seemed to be a touchy topic to Unit Bravo. None of them were comfortable with talking about it, so she left it alone as much as she could. In fact, when Ava told her that they would be given their blood bags, she looked ashamed, unable to meet her gaze.  
Cecilia had tried to lighten her mood by cracking a joke. “So…do you say compliments to the chef afterward? Or is that considered unethical?”  
Ava didn’t even crack a smile. It had the opposite effect as she flinched at the word “unethical.”  
A shame because Farah would’ve loved that one.  
The vampire had turned to leave without another word until Cecilia caught her hand at the last second. “You know this doesn’t change the way I think of you, right?” She had asked her in a warm tone.  
“It should.” Ava looked away, gently tugging her hand from Cecilia’s turning to leave the room.  
This time, Cecilia let her go.  
It had been hours since that encounter, but her head was still swimming in a sea of Ava. One would think to be alive for almost a millennium, she wouldn’t be so ashamed of the core of her very nature. Or perhaps, that was the reason why she felt so. There was still so much Cecilia didn’t know about her life. The most she had been told was from the mirror at the carnival. Ava’s hair was long then, her pale braid stained with blood as was her armor. Even in the midst of battle, she was beautiful, but that cold-hearted smile sent chills down her spine as she killed those who got in her way. All of that information was given unwillingly, she wasn’t even sure if Ava knew that she had gotten a glimpse into her bloody past.  
She was sure she could sit and listen to Ava talk for hours, but she knew that was only a situation that would play out in her daydreams—in between the stolen kisses and declarations of love that also plagued her thoughts, of course.  
Cecilia dropped her head into her hands with a groan. Why had she fallen in love with such a stubborn woman? If only Ava would just let her peek over the walls she had built around her feelings, Cecilia knew she could make her happy. And there was nothing more she wanted then to see her happy.  
In the distance, she heard the strike of bells as another hour rolled around.  
She had debated on going home, but a selfish piece of her wanted to stay in hopes of seeing her pale knight once more.  
“Cecilia,” her name purred from Ava’s lips, causing Cecilia to practically jump out of her skin. When had Ava gotten here? It was as if she materialized from her thoughts.  
Cecilia stood from the couch she was sitting on in the living area. “Ava, I didn’t hear you come in.” She cringed at the tone of her own voice.  
Something about her wasn’t right. There was a look in her eyes that made her stomach churn with uneasiness which was odd since Ava was who she found herself to feel safest with.  
Carefully, she began to round the sofa to stand in front of the vampire, even though every inch of her body was screaming at her to run the other direction.  
Ava smiled and it made her blood turned to ice.  
It was that same grin from the mirror—right before she executed her victim.  
“Are you okay?” Cecilia asked, hesitantly placing a hand on her forearm. The skin was unusually warm, a direct contradiction to her typical coolness. “Are you sick?”  
Ava captured her thin wrist in the prison of her grip, squeezing hard enough to draw a yelp of pain from Cecilia’s lips.  
“Ava, please—” she cried out, desperately trying to pull away.  
Amused, Ava let go of her, watching as Cecilia began to scramble backward. “Isn’t this what you want?” Her voice was low and dangerous, poison dripping from every syllable which drooled on to the floor in hopes she might slip into the trap. She began to grow closer. “Isn’t this what you dream of?”  
She pushed her against the wall forcefully, the back of Cecilia’s head smacking against the concrete brick. Her world spun as she tried to regain focus. But Ava’s body was pressed up against her own now, pinning her in place.  
“I know you think about me and the things I could do to you.” Ava’s slender finger trailed down Cecilia’s cheek, her fingernail scratching the skin towards the end. “I feel the way your pulse quickens, how you’re breathing changes, the heat of your body.” Her face was directly in front of Cecilia’s now, the light glinting off of her sharp canines as her lips twisted into an imposter of a smile.  
Cecilia, blinking rapidly, trying to get her world to stay steady blindly pushed at Ava, trying to get her away. This only seemed to entertain her more as both Cecilia’s wrists became prisoners pressed against the wall.  
“Humans are always so silly,” she chuckled. “Always thinking they can run.” Her nostrils flared as she spoke. “But you can’t. You are too weak. Poor helpless, little human.”  
Tears surfaced as painful memories of Murphy flooded her mind. The way she was restrained, the helpless feeling, the primal fear running through her veins. But in that situation, Ava had come and saved her. Now, Ava was the one she was fighting against.  
“Ava, please stop,” Cecilia whimpered.  
She only laughed and leaned forward, licking the tears from her cheeks mockingly. “Poor little detective thought you were so tough going against big bad Murphy. You haven’t seen real power, Detective.” Her face moved away from hers to move down to the bare skin of her neck.  
Cecilia didn’t fight back anymore. She was too tired.  
This was certainly not the way she imagined Ava’s mouth to taste her skin for the first time. She shouldn’t have waited. She should’ve gone home.  
“You really have no idea what kind of power lays just beneath your skin.” Ava ran her teeth over her throat, pausing over where Murphy had torn her skin open all those months ago. “Do you know how hard it is to be around you? To know the sweet scent of power but not be allowed to touch it. Though I must admit, the forbidden nature of it will make it sweeter than one could ever imagine.”  
“This isn’t you!” Cecilia sobbed.  
But it was cut short when Ava’s hand moved to close around her throat instead, beginning to squeeze.  
“Oh, on the contrary,” she sneered. The edges of Cecilia’s vision were beginning to blacken from lack of air. “This is the monster I really am!” She barred her fangs, ready to go for the kill until the doors busted open with such force, she was sure they were off the hinges.  
Ava’s hand was torn away from her throat. Cecilia’s knees buckled as she collapsed into a heap on the floor.  
What was happening?  
All she could hear was Ava’s angry roars that drowned out a second and third voice.  
“Cecilia, get up!”  
Morgan.  
The girl’s arms enveloped protectively as Cecilia came to.  
Over Morgan’s black-clad shoulder, she could see that Ava had been pinned down with by both Nat and Farah. She couldn’t recall a time where Nat had looked angrier, even Farah looked ready to tear Ava’s head off.  
“We can’t hold her for much longer!” Nat yelled, struggling to hold Ava’s burly figure down. “Get her to Agent Beck!”  
Without a second thought, Morgan scooped Cecilia up tore from the room.  
“What happened?” Cecilia managed to mumble, her eyelids feeling heavy.  
Morgan didn’t answer for a brief second. “Poisoned blood.” She said, barely caught by Cecilia as she lost consciousness.


	2. Her Silver Tears

The moment Ava’s eyes snapped open she knew something was horribly wrong.  
Her head pounded as she made the poor attempt to sit up but was groaned when she realized she was unable to. Her wrists and ankles had been restrained. Furrowing her brows, she tried to take in her surroundings, calculating the clues to tell her where she was.  
Four familiar grey walls, simple wood furniture, a basket of laundry that had yet to be folded. The only thing that was out of place was the fact that she wasn’t alone and the ties binding her to her bed.  
She was in her room. Surrounded by her friends wearing masks of different emotions.  
What had happened?  
Nat stood the closest to the bed. She looked worse for wear with tired eyes and disheveled clothing. Farah mimicked her appearance, both looked stricken with worry.  
Morgan hovered at the foot of the bed, her face matching that of Agent Becks—anger.  
Her head was spinning trying to recall what had happened.  
She remembered being provided the blood bag, but the events after were hazy as if she was trying to recall a dream that had already begun to slip from her memory.  
“Ava?” Nat called out quietly, taking another step towards the bed.  
“Why am I tied down?” Her voice was hoarse. How long had she been like this?  
Nat and Morgan began to free her, following a silent command. As she pushed herself up finally, her head spun.  
Rebecca stepped into her line of vision. Her eyes were rimmed with red like she had been crying. There were only a few things that Ava could think of that would draw such a reaction—Cecilia.  
It happened all at once.  
The memories slammed against her skull making her cringe. It had been like she wasn’t in control of herself like she had been watching on a screen.  
Her voice taunting Cecilia. Her hand wrapped around Cecilia’s throat. Her grin as she watched as the light was running from Cecilia’s eyes.  
Oh, those eyes. Her doe-eyed gaze that usually looked upon Ava with warm affection had turned to terror as she begged her to stop.  
Ava was frozen as she remembered, guilt and anger taking over every inch of her body.  
“Cecilia?” Ava managed to gasp,  
Gentle hands rested on her shoulder as Nat tried to comfort her. “She’s okay, she’s being tended to.”  
“Some of the blood bags given to the Agency were poisoned,” Agent Beck interrupted, pulling Ava’s attention towards her. “We only realized after you were gone.” She was struggling to keep her tone even.  
Farah leaned back on her heels, trying to smooth down her crumpled shirt. “It took both Nat and me to hold you down. Let’s not do that again,” she tried to lighten the mood but was met with a fierce glare from both Rebecca and Morgan.  
“Farah, Morgan, will you please go check on Cecilia?” Nat intervened, squeezing Ava’s shoulder. “Let us know if she’s awake, please.”  
Had she been alone all this time?  
Just as they were leaving, someone popped their head in, gesturing for Rebecca.  
With a heavy sigh, she nodded. “We will talk later, Ava.” She said as she began to leave. But she paused before exiting the room. “I know I shouldn’t blame you, but I find it hard not to.”  
And then it was just her and Nat.  
It was like Ava had been slapped across the face. She couldn’t blame her. Cecilia was her only child and Ava had put her life at risk by her own hand.  
Out of all the centuries, she had walked the Earth, she had never hated herself more than now.  
How could she have hurt someone so kind? Someone who she loved cared for. Someone Ava had sworn to protect. How many times would she fail Cecilia? One time, she was going to be too late to save her.  
Ava sat on the edge of the bed, her face buried in her hands.  
“Don’t lie to me, how bad was it?” Her words were muffled.  
The bed dipped beside her large form as Nat sat next to her. “When we finally figured out where you were, we came in and she was pinned against the wall, your hand around her throat.” Nat blew out a long breath.  
Ava shuddered as the scene appeared at the forefront of her mind once more.  
“It wasn’t your fault, Ava,” Nat murmured, wrapping an arm around her broad shoulders to try and comfort her.  
“Tell that to Cecilia,” she snapped venomously, shaking off her friend by getting to her feet shakily. “Do you know she’s still traumatized from the incident with Murphy? She tries to hide it, but I can see it in her eyes.”  
Nat listened quietly, not knowing what to say.  
“She’s told me about it before because she trusted me. She was afraid of being weak, afraid of not deserving her place here,” Ava choked up as she continued. “I’ve ruined it, Natalie.”  
Tears were rolling down her cheeks as a heavy feeling settled in her chest. Her heart was broken—she had taken Cecilia’s affection for granted. Now, it was ruined because of her own weakness.  
Ava dropped to her knees, ignoring the splintering pain as they hit the hard floor. Her hands were flush against the wood as she knelt on all fours, unable to hold herself up.  
And she cried.  
Deep, heavy sobs erupted from her chest that shook her entire body.  
Nat knelt beside her, knowing it was best not to say anything, but to just let her know she was there.  
“It wasn’t you, Ava,” she finally whispered, tucking a loose hair behind Ava’s ear.  
Ava ripped herself away from Nat, struggling to her feet. She paced the length of the room, not bothering to wipe away her tears.  
“You don’t know that, Natalie,” she yelled, pausing to stare at where Nat still sat. “Cecilia was the only thing in all these years that made begin to think that I wasn’t truly a monster and look what happened!”  
The fury had been building and now needed to find an outlet. Turning, Ava’s fist slammed into the side of her dresser causing it to splinter beneath the force.  
She needed to get out of this room, she needed to breathe.  
Without another word, Ava threw open the door hard enough to rip it off its hinges as she stormed out of the room, refusing to look back as she left.


	3. Her Broken Heart

Between the steady, irritating beep of the machine monitoring her vitals and the horrible dreamed plaguing her mind, Cecilia was ripped from sleep.  
Her head was cloudy from whatever medicine they must have dosed her with, but she could still vividly remember the face in her nightmares.  
Usually, Murphy haunted her subconscious. The knowledge that he was still at large taunted her, not to mention the events that took place the last time they came face to face. It had traumatized her.  
Now a new face had haunted her dreams, one that had been so sweet and welcomed before.  
Pale green eyes, colder than ice, and words that pierced her ears. “Isn’t this what you want?”  
Immediately, Cecilia desperately searched for the bedpan resting on the floor before violently retching the contents of her stomach.  
She still hung halfway off the bed as the door to the room opened, tears tickling her skin once more. Cecilia hardly heard them enter. All she could think about was Ava’s tongue on her cheeks, making her sob harder as she lapped at her pain like a starved dog.  
"Oh, Cece.” Nat choked out, immediately flocking to the side of the bed.  
She had snatched a towel on her way over to gently wipe off Cecilia’s mouth before helping her back up.  
Everything hurt.  
Her neck where Ava had choked her. Her head from being slammed against the wall. But the worst pain was from her heart that had been broken in more ways than one.  
Cecilia didn’t say anything, she didn’t have to after taking one look at Nat’s face. Instead, Nat pulled her into a hug, letting Cecilia sob into her chest as she ran her fingers through her knotted, dark hair.  
“I’m sorry we weren’t there sooner,” Nat sounded as if she was in tears as well. “We thought at first she was having a bad reaction and was going to rest, not whatever that was.”  
Cecilia hugged her friend tighter, beginning to recall what Morgan had told her.  
“The blood bags were poisoned?” She asked as she pulled away just enough to see her face. She had been correct that Nat had been crying as well, a look of regret in her eyes.  
She nodded. “We realized that too late. Cecilia, I am so sorry.”  
“How is Ava?” Cecilia asked after a long moment to let the information begin to sink in.  
“She’s back to normal now, but—,” Nat cut herself off.  
“But, what?”  
With a heavy sigh, Nat leaned back, wiping away her stray tears. “Of all the years I’ve known her, I’ve never seen that woman cry until now.”  
Cecilia looked away, not able to think about it, her heart was already broken enough. “Can I please go home?” She whispered.  
Nat looked at her in understanding. “I’ll go get Elidor.”  
“Will you please get my mom?” Her voice cracked and she feared she might cry again.  
“Of course, Cecilia. Can I get you anything at all?”  
She shook her head, just wanting the maternal comfort of her mother’s hug. “Thank you, Nat.”  
In return, she was given a tight smile as Nat held back more tears. She sniffed, looking at her feet. “If you need anything at all, please call me. I will brave modern technology for you.”  
That managed to make her smile slightly. “Thanks, Nat.”


	4. Her Desperate Apology

Cecilia stared at herself in the mirror, fingers brushing over her throat.

The deep purple bruises had faded significantly, but the discoloration still lingered. As did the soreness. Between the brief pain and the resurfacing of the memories, she flinched and quickly withdrew her hand. Cecilia turned away from her reflection, terrified if she looked any longer, the pain of remembering would swallow her whole.

It had been almost two weeks since she had seen Unit Bravo. She had been back to the facility multiple times to see her mother and attend the therapy appointments Rebecca had set up. Admittedly, Cecilia had been avoiding the group of vampires. The thought of being alone with them had made her stomach knot in guilt-ridden fear.

In her heart, she knew that it hadn’t been ~~Ava’s~~ their fault, but that of the poisoned blood. Still, it had made the trauma with Murphy arise once more, even after she had tried desperately tried to swallow it down for months. She had been cracking before, but some places within her were shattered.

Cecilia moved from the bathroom, her fingertips trailing over a stack of old books on a table. The roughness of their covers grounded her, stealing her away from the memories threatening her.

The Agency had arranged for her to take some time off of work for her to recover fully. She wasn’t exactly sure what excuse they had given, but nevertheless, she was thankful. As much as she loved her job, it would have been just enough to push her over the edge.

She dropped heavily on to the old sofa in her living room, head dropping back against the cushions. At first, the quietness of her apartment had been a blessing. Now, it was a feeling of loneliness settling in the pit of her stomach.

As if sensing her despair, her phone buzzed.

Farah’s name popped up on the screen followed by a message:

_Nat told me to give you your space, but I miss you and wanted to check up on you. Everyone here is no fun without you :(_

Cecilia couldn’t help but smile softly. She and Farah had become incredibly close in their time together. Before the incident, they were constantly hanging out and plotting ways to subtly irritate the broody team leader.

_I miss you too. Come over? I would appreciate the company._

It only took a few seconds for her to respond with an enthusiastic “YES.”

She chuckled, switching her phone off and tossing it next to her on the couch. It wouldn’t be long until Farah arrived. Luckily, her apartment was pretty clean so there wasn’t really anything she had to rush to do beforehand.

Her eyes fluttered shut as she breathed deeply, pushing away the nervousness. She had nothing to worry about and in her heart, she knew none of Unit Bravo would purposely harm her, but still, the memories lingered. They clawed at her mind, begging to taint her perception—Cecilia would not give in. She was better than this, she had to be.

Rustling sounded outside the door to her apartment. Confused, Cecilia’s brows furrowed. She knew Farah was fast, but she shouldn’t be here already. Surely not, right?

“Farah?” Cecilia called, standing up to head the door.

There was a panicked muffled voice from the other side accompanied by quick footsteps.

Now that made Cecilia hurry to the door, throwing it open. No one was there.

Moving to step out into the hallway, her foot brushed against something left on her doormat. Her eyes widened when she looked down, seeing a stuffed bear and a bundle of lilies. Upon further inspection, there was a note attached to the flowers written in an elegant and familiar hand. All it said was _I’m sorry_.

The words made her stumble back a bit as she closed the door, clutching the gifts tightly.

Cecilia moved to the kitchen, laying the bouquet down mindlessly as if she were in a trance. Even though she knew it was Ava, it was still hard to wrap her mind around it. The fact of Ava going out of her way to buy her a bouquet of her favorite flowers and a stuffed animal brought a tinge of a smile to her lips.

She hugged the bear close to her, breathing in the unmistakable scent of Ava’s perfume that she had been wearing more often. It felt like she was here with her. And Cecilia knew she wanted nothing more right then.

A knock at the door startled her. She barely had time to hide the stuffed animal before Farah's entrance.

Farah waltzed in a giddy look in her eyes. “Cece!” She squealed, rushing over to hug her tightly. “I missed you!”

There was a moment of hesitation from Cecilia at the touch, but it was enough to cause Farah to jump away from her, a look of regret in her eyes.

“Oh, I forgot! I’m so sorry, Cece,” she said quickly.

Cecilia shook her head, forcing a small smile to her lips. “Please don’t worry. I’m happy to see you too.” She took a step towards her, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Now, what movie are we watching?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG


	5. Her Bleeding Heart

The warehouse was unusually quiet. 

It was unnerving to Cecilia as she walked the corridors. She had grown accustomed to smiling and waving at other members of The Agency as she passed by. The halls were normally bustling with life as supernaturals and humans alike both darted around, all on a mission. 

Now they were bare. 

There were a few she passed by. They smiled and waved at each other and continued on. 

Maybe things were different now because she had been happier the last time she had truly walked these halls. 

Cecilia sighed, rubbing her arm as she was lost in thought on the walk to the living area. It had been weeks since she had stepped foot in that room. The last time had been the night when Ava had attacked her. 

She paused in front of the large wooden doors, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she stared. Cecilia knew that at least some of Unit Bravo would be there and that they could definitely tell that she was hovering just outside. 

What if she was there? 

It was doubtful because according to Farah, Ava had been isolating herself from the rest of the team since that night. Even Nat hadn’t seen much of her which didn’t sit right with her. 

Finally working up the nerve, Cecilia pushed open the door to reveal the eager faces of three out of four of Unit Bravo. 

“Cece!” Farah jumped up from her chair excitedly. 

Nat looked up from a book she was reading, a kind smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. Morgan was perched on the arm of the chair and even she looked pleased to see Cecilia. 

“It’s good to see you, Cece.” Nat set her book to the side to greet her friend properly. She kept some distance between them, just in case she was not comfortable with the vampires.

Cecilia walked over to her, pulling the woman into a tight hug. Nat was a foot taller than her which meant she had to bend down to hug her properly. Neither of them seemed to mind too much. Cecilia was just grateful to be wrapped in the comforting energy her friend always exuded. 

After taking a few moments to greet the other members present, she couldn’t help but allow her eyes to wander the room, mindlessly searching.

“She’s not here,” Morgan said, noticing her absent gaze. 

Her eyes flicked to the vampire, watching as a long drawl of smoke leaked from her lips. “Oh,” she tried to cover up her disappointment. It was a poor performance, one that Nat caught on to almost immediately. 

“I believe she’s in her room,” she piped in, a knowing look in her eyes. 

Cecilia smiled softly. “Thanks, Nat.”

Nat nodded and distracted Farah just long enough for Cecilia to slip back out of the room. 

The walk to the hall that hosted the bedrooms for Unit Bravo felt like she was climbing a mountain. Not because of the twists and turns or the distance, but because of the building anticipation in her chest the closer she got. Would Ava sense her approaching presence and bolt? Or would she refuse to see her outright? Unfortunately, both were likely possibilities that were residing in her mind.

She reached a hand up, playing with one of her earrings as she continued on, lost in thought. Thankfully, there weren’t too many people out or she was sure she would’ve bumped into someone. The quietness of the facility allowed her mind to turn over every possible situation—and that was both a blessing and a curse. 

Finally, she stood before the last barrier physical between her and Ava. Just like when she was about to enter the living room, there was hesitation as her mind was flooded with doubts. 

She dropped her head in, defeated by the urge to see her, and took a moment to listen for any sign of life. 

Quiet. 

Squandering down bits of fear, Cecilia knocked on the door gently.

There was no reply.

“Ava?” She called quietly. “Will you please open the door?”

Still nothing. 

Cecilia furrowed her brows, frustrated by the silence. Curiosity got the best of her and she twisted the handle, it was unlocked. Perhaps she could leave her a note? Her fingers brushed over the pocket of her jeans. The note held within suddenly felt heavy. 

The room was dark as the lights were off and the curtains closed tightly. She had been in here before, but her eyes still swept around the room, fascinated to see the side of Ava she kept behind closed doors. 

It was plain. A lot of neutral colors and hardly any decorations. What little décor was present looked to have been placed by the people who originally set the room up. Still, the space was painfully tidy and to a stranger, it would seem to be unlived in. But Cecilia knew better.

There were hints of Ava throughout the room. 

A magazine about classic cars laid on the desk, the corners of pages creased where she had seen ones she liked. Her signature aviators were attached to a pocket of her grey coat that hung neatly on a hook. As she moved towards the desk, she noticed something was sticking out of the magazine. She pulled at it, freeing a picture from the confined of the pages. 

Cecilia’s eyes widened in surprise. It was a picture of her and Ava.

She recognized it immediately. Farah had secretly taken it while Cecilia was perched on Ava’s lap, smiling up at her as she was wrapped Ava’s strong embrace. In this photo, nothing could harm her. Her arms wound around her was the only defense she could ever need.

Had she printed it out herself? How long had she been hiding it?

Even with the question running rampant around her mind, she couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across her face as she stared, wistfully remembering how happy they both had been that night.

A low groan and the rustle of blankets scared her, causing her to drop the picture back on the desk. 

Cecilia’s eyes darted around the room, finally falling on the bed. 

She hadn’t noticed the covered form laying there when she first entered, and she hadn’t made a sound until just now. Cecilia had really been snooping through her room the entire time, thinking Ava wasn’t there. Even though Ava was asleep, Cecilia still felt her face grow hot from the embarrassment her assumptions could have caused her. 

Ava was tossing and turning now, mumbling things restlessly. She swore she even heard her name amongst the incoherent murmurs.

As she approached the bed cautiously, Cecilia noticed she had kicked off all of the sheets and they were now crumpled up at the foot of the bed. 

Without thinking, she sat on the edge of the bed, staring down at the sleeping woman with concern. She debated on leaving. This was a vulnerable position for Ava to be in and it was no secret the vampire did not favor people witnessing her in such a state.

Cecilia ignored her better judgment (what was new?) and reached out slowly, carefully resting a hand on Ava’s cheek, her thumb running over the soft skin tenderly. “Ava,” she whispered, trying not to alarm her. 

Even with the added effort of trying not to startle her, Ava bolted upright, her hand capturing Cecilia’s wrist tightly. The icy green of her eyes was ablaze with liquid fire as they scoured for an absent threat, her chest heaving as her breath left her in heavy pants. 

Finally, her confused gaze settled on Cecilia, her eyes widening more. 

“Cecilia?” She gaped, immediately releasing the grip on her wrist. “What are you doing here?” Her breathing was still ragged, and she looked a mess, but Ava was too surprised to move. 

The words tumbled out before she could stop them. “I’m sorry, you were having a nightmare and—”

Ava raised a hand to cut off her rambling, shaking her head. “What are you doing _in_ here?” 

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, her gaze moving down to stare at a loose thread on the hem of her shirt. “Nat said you were in your room. I wanted to see you,” Cecilia said with a slight shrug.

Ava let out a long breath but made no reply.

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“No.” The curtness of the answer made her flinch back. Ava gave a defeated sigh. “You do not need to worry about me.”

Cecilia frowned deeply. “But I do, Ava.”

Her stare was venomous. “Then you are a fool,” she sneered.

She bristled at the comment as she stood. “This was a mistake,” Cecilia sighed, beginning to walk to the door. “I knew you did not want to see me, but once again I was a fool and allowed my heart to tell me what to do.” She tried her best to ignore the tears swelling in her eyes and the way her heart was breaking all over again. 

Ava’s hand caught her waist to stop her. She hadn’t even heard her get off of the bed.

“Cecilia, I’m sorry.” She withdrew her hand with a sigh. Cecilia didn’t miss the way her hand flexed as it dropped back to her side. “I just…” Ava trailed off, looking unsure of what words to choose. 

“I thought I had lost you,” she finally settled on a way to articulate her thoughts. “If I had hurt you again, I would have never forgiven myself.” Her hands clasped behind her back as she began to pace. The broadness of her shoulders was stiffer than usual, the thin straps of the tank top she wore showed off how tense she truly was. 

Cecilia crossed her arms in obstinance, watching her silently.

“I have not stopped thinking about that night since it happened. What I did to you, how I injured you!” She only paused her pursuit of wearing holes into the floor to look at the fading bruises on her neck. Cecilia shifted her collar, suddenly self-conscious. “After Murphy, I swore to protect you and I failed. You were wounded by my hand. You are better off without me.”

Ava stared, expecting some sort of reaction—but the enormous eye-roll Cecilia gave was not was she had planned for. 

“So this is about your pride?” She snapped fiercely, backed by the anger that had been boiling in the blood beneath her skin. “Your honor? Your duty?” Cecilia scoffed, shaking her head fitfully. “Have you ever stopped to consider what I want, Ava? Or is your head so far up your own ass that you can only think about yourself?”

The vampire’s jaw dropped as the words all but slapped her.

“How many times are we going to do this? Me getting hurt and you running off, blaming yourself for not ‘doing better.’” The last words were aided with air quotes. “You can’t save me every time, Ava. When are you going to realize that? What I need is for you to be there for me when I need you most! So why don’t you quit your pity party and help us catch the fucker who poisoned the Agency’s blood supply?” By the end, her entire body was shaking, and a weight had been lifted from her chest. 

Ava’s eyes looked as though they may bulge out of her head. It was truly rare that Cecilia would get so angry. She usually was a sweet-tempered person. But she had had enough. If ripping Ava a new one was what it took to get through to her, then that was what she would do. 

Cecilia took a step forward, noticing the wary look seeping on to the vampire’s face. “Please, Ava, don’t give up on this. I need you.” 

Ava closed the distance between them, practically smothering Cecilia with the tightness of her embrace. 

She all but melted into her arms, allowing herself to be held for as long as Ava would have her. God, she had missed her terribly. 

“I swear to you,” Ava murmured into her hair, “I will do better by you.”

“Then prove it to me,” she whispered as they pulled away from each other, only for Ava to gently grasp her chin as she pressed a kiss to her lips. A sweet, long kiss—one they could both savor. 

Ava’s fingers grazed her cheek to tuck a piece of dark hair behind her ear, hand lingering at her throat. Cecilia shivered, delighted at the small touches. 

“I will, I swear.”

She smiled, satisfied with the answer. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally done!!
> 
> follow me on tumblr at @seravadumortain

**Author's Note:**

> i'm still working on part 2 don't worry!!
> 
> follow me at @seravadumortain on tumblr


End file.
